Plate and sliding connection apparatus

ABSTRACT

A plate includes a first sliding connection element, a second sliding connection element and a spacing element. The first sliding connection element includes a first and a second sliding connection portions respectively disposed on different surfaces opposite to each other of the first sliding connection element. The second sliding connection element includes a third and a fourth sliding connection portions disposed on different surfaces opposite to each other of the second sliding connection element. The spacing element connects the first and second sliding connection elements. The plate can be processed into different slide connection apparatuses for slidably engaging data storage devices of different size.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a plate and a sliding connection apparatus, and more particularly, to a plate from which different sliding connection apparatuses can be manufactured and a sliding connection apparatus manufactured from such a plate.

2. Description of Related Art

Along with the technology development, computers have become an indispensable tool in our daily life. Hard disks are generally the main data storage devices in the computer. The hard disks have the advantage of low cost, high speed and large storage, and the like. In addition, the hard disks can store operation systems, application programs and user data.

In conventional systems, a plurality of 2.5-inch hard disks or 3.5-inch hard disks is usually mounted in a server host. These hard disks are arranged along an axis and each hard disk is slidably disposed between two adjacent sliding connection apparatuses. Each sliding connection apparatus including at least one slide track is mounted to an inside of the server host, and the hard disk is slidably disposed on the slide tracks. Hard disks of different size require different sliding connection apparatuses. As a result, different molds are required to manufacture these different sliding connection apparatuses, thus increasing the manufacturing cost of the sliding connection apparatuses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a plate that can be processed into different slide connection apparatuses for slidably engaging data storage devices of different size.

The present invention is also directed to a slide connection apparatus that can be manufactured from such a plate.

The present invention provides a plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface. The plate comprises a first sliding connection element, a second sliding connection element and a spacing element. The first sliding connection element has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface. The first sliding connection element comprises a first sliding connection portion and a second sliding connection portion. The first sliding connection portion is located on the third surface. The second sliding connection portion is located on the fourth surface. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the third surface does not coincide with the first sliding connection portion.

The second sliding connection element has a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface. The second sliding connection element comprises a third sliding connection portion and a fourth sliding connection portion. The third sliding connection portion is located on the fifth surface. The fourth sliding connection portion is located on the sixth surface. The orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface does not coincide with the third sliding connection portion. The spacing element connects the first sliding connection element and the second sliding connection element and has a seventh surface and an eighth surface opposite to the seventh surface. The third surface, the fifth surface and the seventh surface constitute the first surface. The fourth surface, the sixth surface and the eighth surface constitute the second surface. The first sliding connection portion and the third sliding connection portion are arranged along a first axis. The second sliding connection portion and the fourth sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis. The first sliding connection portion and the third sliding connection portion are symmetrical about a second axis located on the seventh surface. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the first surface is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface about the second axis.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection element, the second sliding connection element and the spacing element are integrally formed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first surface is a plane, and the second surface is a plane.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the third sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the fourth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection element further comprises a fifth sliding connection portion and a sixth sliding connection portion. The fifth sliding connection portion is located on the third surface and on a first edge of the first sliding connection element. The sixth sliding connection portion is located on the fourth surface and on a second edge of the first sliding connection element opposite to the first edge. The second sliding connection element further comprises a seventh sliding connection portion and an eighth sliding connection portion. The seventh sliding connection portion is located on the fifth surface and on a third edge of the second sliding connection element. The eighth sliding connection portion is located on the sixth surface and on a fourth edge of the second sliding connection element opposite to the third edge. The fifth sliding connection portion and the seventh sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis, the sixth sliding connection portion and the eighth sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis, the fifth sliding connection portion and the seventh sliding connection portion are symmetrical about the second axis, the orthogonal projection of the sixth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the eighth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface about the second axis.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fifth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the seventh sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sixth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the eighth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

The present invention provides a sliding connection apparatus comprising a first sliding connection element, a second sliding connection element, and a spacing element. The first sliding connection element has a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface. The first sliding connection element comprises a first sliding connection portion and a second sliding connection portion. The first sliding connection portion is located on the third surface. The second sliding connection portion is located on the fourth surface. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the third surface does not coincide with the first sliding connection portion.

The second sliding connection element has a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface. The second sliding connection element comprises a third sliding connection portion and a fourth sliding connection portion. The third sliding connection portion is located on the fifth surface, and the fourth sliding connection portion is located on the sixth surface. The orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface does not coincide with the third sliding connection portion, and the fourth surface is oriented toward the sixth surface. The spacing element connects the first sliding connection element and the second sliding connection element. A first angle is formed between the spacing element and the first sliding connection element, and a second angle is formed between the spacing element and the second sliding connection element. The first angle is equal to the second angle. The orthogonal projection of the first sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface coincides with the third sliding connection portion. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the sixth surface coincides with the fourth sliding connection portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection element, the second sliding connection element and the spacing element are integrally formed.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first angle is ninety degrees.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the third sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the second sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the fourth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first sliding connection element further comprises a fifth sliding connection portion and a sixth sliding connection portion. The fifth sliding connection portion is located on the third surface and on a first edge of the first sliding connection element. The sixth sliding connection portion is located on the fourth surface and on a second edge of the first sliding connection element opposite to the first edge. The second sliding connection element further comprises a seventh sliding connection portion and an eighth sliding connection portion. The seventh sliding connection portion is located on the fifth surface and on a third edge of the second sliding connection element. The eighth sliding connection portion is located on the sixth surface and on a fourth edge of the second sliding connection element opposite to the third edge. The orthogonal projection of the fifth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface coincides with the seventh sliding connection portion. The orthogonal projection of the sixth sliding connection portion formed on the sixth surface coincides with the eighth sliding connection portion.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the fifth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the seventh sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the sixth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the eighth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.

The plate of the embodiment of the present invention is manufactured with the same mold, and sliding connection apparatuses of different size can be formed by bending the plate in different manners to meet the needs of data storage devices of different size. Therefore, compared to the conventional sliding connection apparatus, the overall cost of the sliding connection apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention can be reduced.

In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the present invention more comprehensible, embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional view of a plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1B is another schematic three-dimensional view of the plate of FIG. 1A.

FIGS. 2 through 4 are schematic three-dimensional views illustrating the process of manufacturing the sliding connection apparatus from the plate of FIG. 1B.

FIG. 5A is a schematic three-dimensional, exploded view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 4 employed in a computer host.

FIG. 5B is a top view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 5A.

FIG. 6 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a sliding connection apparatus in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic three-dimensional, exploded view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 6 employed in a computer host.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1A is a schematic three-dimensional view of a plate in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1B is another schematic three-dimensional view of the plate of FIG. 1A. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the plate 200 of this embodiment includes a first surface 200 a and a second surface 200 b opposite to the first surface 200 a. The plate 200 includes a first sliding connection element 220, a second sliding connection element 240, and a spacing element 260. The first sliding element 220 includes a third surface 220 a and a fourth surface 220 b opposite to the third surface 220 a. The first sliding connection element 220 includes a first sliding connection portion 222 disposed on the third surface 220 a, and a second sliding connection portion 224 disposed on the fourth surface 220 b. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion 224 formed on the third surface 220 a does not coincide with the first sliding connection portion 222.

The second sliding connection element 240 includes a fifth surface 240 a and a sixth surface 240 b opposite to the fifth surface 240 a. The second sliding connection element 240 includes a third sliding connection portion 242 disposed on the fifth surface 240 a and a fourth sliding connection portion 244 disposed on the sixth surface 240 b. The orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion 244 formed on the fifth surface 240 a does not coincide with the third sliding connection portion 242.

The spacing element 260 connects the first sliding connection element 220 and the second sliding connection element 240 and includes a seventh surface 260 a and an eighth surface 260 b opposite to the seventh surface 260 a. The third surface 220 a, the fifth surface 240 a and the seventh surface 260 a constitute the first surface 200 a. In other words, the first surface 200 a is composed of the third surface 220 a, the fifth surface 240 a and the seventh surface 260 a. The fourth surface 220 b, the sixth surface 240 b and the eighth surface 260 b constitute the second surface 200 b. In this illustrated embodiment, the first surface 200 a is, for example, a plane, and the second surface 200 b is, for example, a plane. The first sliding connection element, the second sliding connection element 240 and the spacing element 260 are integrally formed, for example.

Specifically, referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the first sliding connection portion 222 and the third sliding connection portion 242 are arranged along a first axis R1. The second sliding connection portion 224 and the fourth sliding connection portion 244 are arranged along the first axis R1. The first sliding connection portion 222 and the third sliding connection portion 242 are symmetrical with each other about a second axis R2 located on the seventh surface 260 a. The orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion 224 formed on the first surface 200 a is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion 244 formed on the first surface 200 a about the second axis R2. In other words, the first axis R1 is perpendicular to the second axis R2.

It should be noted that, in this illustrated embodiment, the first sliding connection portion 222 is, for example, a sliding track, and the third sliding connection portion 242 is, for example, a sliding track. The second sliding connection portion 224 is, for example, a sliding track, and the fourth sliding connection portion 244 is, for example, a sliding track. In particular, in this illustrated embodiment, each sliding track is a protrusion formed by punching, for example.

Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B, in this illustrated embodiment, the first sliding connection element 220 further includes a fifth sliding connection portion 226 and a sixth sliding connection portion 228. The fifth sliding connection portion 226 is disposed on the third surface 220 a and on a first edge 220 c of the first sliding connection element 220. The sixth sliding connection portion 228 is disposed on the fourth surface 220 b and on a second edge 220 d of the first sliding connection element 220. The first edge 220 c is opposite to the second edge 220 d.

The second sliding connection element 240 further includes a seventh sliding connection portion 246 and an eighth sliding connection portion 248. The seventh sliding connection portion 246 is disposed on the fifth surface 240 a and on a third edge 240 c of the second sliding connection element 240. The eighth sliding connection portion 248 is disposed on the sixth surface 240 b and on a fourth edge 240 d of the second sliding connection element 240. The third edge 240 c is opposite to the fourth edge 240 d.

Specifically, the fifth sliding connection portion 226 and the seventh sliding connection portion 246 are arranged along the first axis R1. The sixth sliding connection portion 228 and the eighth sliding connection portion 248 are arranged along the first axis R1. The fifth sliding connection portion 226 and the seventh sliding connection portion 246 are symmetrically with each other about the second axis R2. The orthogonal projection of the sixth surface 228 formed on the first surface 200 a is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the eighth sliding connection portion 248 formed on the first surface 200 a about the second axis R2.

It should be noted that, in this illustrated embodiment, the fifth sliding connection portion 226 is, for example, a sliding track, and the seventh sliding connection portion 246 is, for example, a sliding track. The sixth sliding connection portion 228 is, for example, a sliding track, and the eighth sliding connection portion 248 is, for example, a sliding track. In particular, in this illustrated embodiment, each sliding track is a protrusion formed by punching, for example.

It should be noted that the plate 200 is manufactured by only one mold, which is different from the prior arts.

Manufacturing of the sliding connection apparatus from a plate 200 will be described in the following. FIGS. 2 through 4 are schematic three-dimensional views illustrating the process of manufacturing the sliding connection apparatus from the plate of FIG. 1B. In brief, in this illustrated embodiment, the plate 200 can be bent such that the fourth surface 220 b is oriented toward the sixth surface 240 b to form a sliding connection apparatus 300.

Specifically, referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the plate 200 is first bent such that the fourth surface 220 b is perpendicular to the sixth surface 240 b. Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the second sliding connection element 240 is then further bent with respect to the first sliding connection element 220 such that the fourth surface 220 b is oriented toward the sixth surface 240 b. After the above bending steps, the sliding connection apparatus 300 is thus accomplished. Referring to FIG. 4, the spacing element 260 connects the first sliding connection element 220 to the second sliding connection element 240. A first angle α1 is formed between the spacing element 260 and the first sliding connection element 220, and a second angle α2 is between the spacing element 260 and the second sliding connection element 240. The first angle α1 equals to the second angle α2. In this illustrated embodiment, the first angle α1 is ninety degrees, for example. In other words, the second angle α2 is also ninety degrees, for example.

Referring again to FIGS. 3 and 4, if the first angle α1 between the spacing element 260 and the first sliding connection portion 220, and the second angle α2 between the spacing element 260 and the second sliding connection portion 220 are both ninety degrees, the orthogonal projection of the first sliding connection portion 222 formed on the fifth surface 240 a coincides with the third sliding connection portion 242, and the orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion 224 formed on the sixth surface 240 b coincides with the fourth sliding connection portion 244. In addition, the orthogonal projection of the fifth sliding connection portion 226 formed on the fifth surface 240 a coincides with the seventh sliding connection portion 246, and the orthogonal projection of the sixth sliding connection portion 228 formed on the sixth surface 240 b coincides with the eighth sliding connection portion 248.

FIG. 5A is a schematic three-dimensional, exploded view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 4 employed in a computer host, and FIG. 5B is a top view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 5A. Referring to FIGS. 5A and 5B, in this illustrated embodiment, in a case of a server host, the number of the sliding connection apparatuses 300 may be three, and these sliding connection apparatuses 300 are pre-fastened to an inside of a casing C of the server host by screws (not shown). Each of a plurality of data storage devices D1 (four data storage devices D1 are illustrated in FIG. 5A) is slidably disposed between two adjacent sliding connection apparatuses 300. In this embodiment, the data storage devices D1 are 2.5-inch hard disks, for example.

FIG. 6 is a schematic three-dimensional view of a sliding connection apparatus in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a schematic three-dimensional, exploded view of the sliding connection apparatus of FIG. 6 employed in a computer host. Referring to FIGS. 1A, 6 and 7, in the present embodiment, a sliding connection apparatus 400 may be formed by bending the plate 200 in a manner different from the bending manner as in FIGS. 2 through 4. In a case of a server host, the user can utilize four sliding connection apparatuses 400, and these sliding connection apparatuses 400 are pre-fastened to an inside of a casing C of the server host by screws (not shown). Each of a plurality of data storage devices D2 (three data storage devices D2 are illustrated in FIG. 5A) is slidably disposed between two adjacent sliding connection apparatuses 400. In this embodiment, the data storage devices D2 are 3.5-inch hard disks, for example.

In summary, the plate of the embodiment of the present invention is manufactured with the same mold, and sliding connection apparatuses of different size can be formed by bending the plate in different manners to meet the needs of data storage devices of different size. Therefore, compared to the conventional sliding connection apparatus, the overall manufacturing cost of the sliding connection apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention can be reduced.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents. 

1. A plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, comprising: a first sliding connection element having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, comprising: a first sliding connection portion located on the third surface; and a second sliding connection portion located on the fourth surface, wherein the orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the third surface does not coincide with the first sliding connection portion; a second sliding connection element having a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface, comprising: a third sliding connection portion located on the fifth surface; and a fourth sliding connection portion located on the sixth surface, wherein the orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface does not coincide with the third sliding connection portion; and a spacing element connecting the first sliding connection element and the second sliding connection element and having a seventh surface and an eighth surface opposite to the seventh surface, wherein the third surface, the fifth surface and the seventh surface constitute the first surface, the fourth surface, the sixth surface and the eighth surface constitute the second surface, the first sliding connection portion and the third sliding connection portion are arranged along a first axis, the second sliding connection portion and the fourth sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis, the first sliding connection portion and the third sliding connection portion are symmetrical about a second axis located on the seventh surface, the orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the first surface is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface about the second axis.
 2. The plate in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first sliding connection element, the second sliding connection element and the spacing element are integrally formed.
 3. The plate in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first surface is a plane, and the second surface is a plane.
 4. The plate in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the third sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 5. The plate in accordance with claim 1, wherein the second sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the fourth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 6. The plate in accordance with claim 1, wherein the first sliding connection element further comprises a fifth sliding connection portion located on the third surface and on a first edge of the first sliding connection element and a sixth sliding connection portion located on the fourth surface and on a second edge of the first sliding connection element opposite to the first edge, the second sliding connection element further comprises a seventh sliding connection portion located on the fifth surface and on a third edge of the second sliding connection element and an eighth sliding connection portion located on the sixth surface and on a fourth edge of the second sliding connection element opposite to the third edge, the fifth sliding connection portion and the seventh sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis, the sixth sliding connection portion and the eighth sliding connection portion are arranged along the first axis, the fifth sliding connection portion and the seventh sliding connection portion are symmetrical about the second axis, and the orthogonal projection of the sixth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface is symmetrical with the orthogonal projection of the eighth sliding connection portion formed on the first surface about the second axis.
 7. The plate in accordance with claim 6, wherein the fifth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the seventh sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 8. The plate in accordance with claim 6, wherein the sixth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the eighth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 9. A sliding connection apparatus comprising: a first sliding connection element having a third surface and a fourth surface opposite to the third surface, comprising: a first sliding connection portion located on the third surface; and a second sliding connection portion located on the fourth surface, wherein the orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the third surface does not coincide with the first sliding connection portion; a second sliding connection element having a fifth surface and a sixth surface opposite to the fifth surface, comprising: a third sliding connection portion located on the fifth surface; and a fourth sliding connection portion located on the sixth surface, wherein the orthogonal projection of the fourth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface does not coincide with the third sliding connection portion, and the fourth surface is oriented toward the sixth surface; and a spacing element connecting the first sliding connection element and the second sliding connection element, wherein a first angle is formed between the spacing element and the first sliding connection element, a second angle is formed between the spacing element and the second sliding connection element, the first angle is equal to the second angle, the orthogonal projection of the first sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface coincides with the third sliding connection portion, the orthogonal projection of the second sliding connection portion formed on the sixth surface coincides with the fourth sliding connection portion.
 10. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first sliding connection element, the second sliding connection element and the spacing element are integrally formed.
 11. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first angle is ninety degrees.
 12. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the third sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 13. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the second sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the fourth sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 14. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first sliding connection element further comprises a fifth sliding connection portion located on the third surface and on a first edge of the first sliding connection element and a sixth sliding connection portion located on the fourth surface and on a second edge of the first sliding connection element opposite to the first edge, the second sliding connection element further comprises a seventh sliding connection portion located on the fifth surface and on a third edge of the second sliding connection element and an eighth sliding connection portion located on the sixth surface and on a fourth edge of the second sliding connection element opposite to the third edge, the orthogonal projection of the fifth sliding connection portion formed on the fifth surface coincides with the seventh sliding connection portion, the orthogonal projection of the sixth sliding connection portion formed on the sixth surface coincides with the eighth sliding connection portion.
 15. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the fifth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the seventh sliding connection portion is a sliding track.
 16. The sliding connection apparatus in accordance with claim 14, wherein the sixth sliding connection portion is a sliding track, and the eighth sliding connection portion is a sliding track. 